Process of manufacturing bessemer steel



UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

:sAMUEL MODONALD, or BRADnocK, PENNSYLVANIA.

PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING BESSEMER STEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 287,842, dated November 6, 1883.';

Application filed July 28, 1883. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL MoDoNALn, a

. citizen of the United States, residing at Braddock, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Process of Manufacturing Bessemer Steel, of which the following I and a portion into the converter without pass ing through said charge, as will be hereinafter more fully described. i

In carrying out my improved-process the ordinary form of converter may be used, and the charge introduced in the usual manner while the converter is in the horizontal position. The blast is thenturned 'on, and the converter gradually tilted to about, say, thirty or forty degrees from its former position. This allows the charge to partially cover the tuyere in the bottom of the converter, and a portion of the blast to escape through the body of the charge, and the remaining portion enters the'converter above the charge. portion of the blast which passes through the charge furnishes its oxygen to the carbon of the metal, forming carbonic-oxide gas, which escapes to the surface. There it combines with the oxygen of the blast admitted above said charge, and produces an intense heat,

- which raises the temperature of the charge to a degree required to produce a pure article of steel.

It will readily be seen that the utmost importance is attached to the degree of inclination of the converter, so that the proper proportions of air may be admitted above and through the charge to accomplish the best result; and as these proportions vary with the composition of the different charges, skill and experience are required in determining said inclination to attain these ends.

I have very successfully carried out my process by raising the converter to a vertical position after it has been charged and the blast Th at,

applied, and then gradually lowering it until the proper proportion of air was admitted above the blast to produce-a perfect combustion in the converter, whereby the degree of heat may be regulated, as above set forth.

While I have described a way to carryout my process, I do not wish to limit myself to blast and lessens the supply of oxygen. Oon'- sequently the temperature lowers, as required. If, on the other hand, the charge should-be cooling, the converter is tilted nearer a hor1- zontal position. This increases the direct blast,

and a greater amount of oxygen is supplied, and a'greater degree of heat obtained in the converter.

I am aware that substances rich in oxygen have been blown into molten metal, and an air-blast supplied above the same; but I use air alone and regulate its admission in proper proportions by varying the degree of inclination'of the converter.

Having thus fully described my improved process, what I claim as new and useful, and

desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United I States, is

1. The improvement in the process of manufacturing Bessemer steel, which consists in simultaneously admitting the air-blast through and above the charge, as set forth.

2. The improvement in the process of manufacturing Bessemer steel, which consists in si-' multaneously admitting the air-blast through and above the charge and varying the relative proportions of said blast, as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whei'eof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL MCDONALD.

Witnesses Jos. WALTEMEYER,

H. J. ENNIs. 

